Of the Eagles
by the DEVIL may care but I don't
Summary: It was never Danica that married Zane to bring an end to the war. Instead, it was her long ignored, long shunned older sister. An easy choice for a hateful mother to make, sending her outcast daughter away into the snake's nest to try to end the war-if she died, no on important was missing. Read to find out why Kyra is so hated by her family. Review! Zane/OC. I own nothing. AU
1. Chapter 1

"You should address my daughter; she will be Tuuli Thea soon."

Kyra Shardae scoffed at these words, drawing the attention of one Zane Cobriana. She could not see him due to the gold band that was in its usual place around her head to cover her eyes, but she could _feel_ his gaze on her. It was believed that the eldest of Nacola's daughters was blind—hence the "decorative" band—but her senses were legendary. It was said that she could hold her own in battle even without her eyes.

"Kyra, is it true—"

"I believe you misunderstand." Nacola interrupted the Disa. "Kyra will not gain the throne because of her . . . weakness. Danica will become Tuuli Thea."

Zane eyed the elder daughter curiously once this was said. The elder's fist tightened when her mother announced this; it was the only outward sign of her anger she allowed. Kyra was truly a curious thing when compared to the rest of her family. She wore dark brown attire in contrast to Danica's golden ware and black hair to her sister's and mother's light brown.

"My lady Shardae, I am fully aware of your . . . distaste for your elder daughter, but the idea I am about to propose is more easily accepted if it is not the crown princess." The Disa sounded vaguely annoyed. "Join the two royal families; let your people follow the example of their leaders."

"I am willing to test this idea." Nacola said too quickly. She seemed to be jumping at the chance to rid her family of its imperfection.

"If it will end this war . . . I will try anything." Zane agreed slowly.

"Good. You will depart for Serpiente lands in the morning. Return to your chambers and rest," the Disa dismissed the two of the royal families.

Kyra growled to herself as she quickly left the hall. _I should have known she would have no care for my survival, _she thought angrily as she entered her room. She was about to rip off the covering over her eyes when she became aware of another presence.

"Who is there?" she demanded instantly, shifting so her ear was toward the door.

"Impressive, your guard did not even notice my presence."

"What do you want, Zane?" Kyra sighed, but she did not relax.

"I thought it wise to have a word with my future Naga." Zane replied, watching her. "I am not going to attack you or whatever it is you are thinking."

"I have only survived this long by not trusting people. If I did, my mother would have had me killed long ago."

"She was rather quick to agree to this . . . arrangement." He agreed. Kyra could hear him sit on one of the room's large pillows.

"I have been a stain on her _perfect _family since I was born." Kyra spat.

Zane could _almost see_ her eyes flashing in anger. "Why is that? Based on looks you are just as perfect as them."

"By Serpiente standards, sure. But by the hawks' of the keep . . . I think not."

"So what do _you_ think of this arrangement?" he inquired.

"I do not much care, so long as I am away from those _people_." She admitted. "I do, however, hope that this works. This war is pointless and causes many unnecessary deaths."

"Many in my family have been killed for it." Zane sounded regretful. "Why does your family hate you so much as to send you into enemy lands on a faint hope?"

"I was born . . . different."

"Your blindness?"

"In a manner of speaking. I'm also of the avian royal family, but I am no hawk."

"_What?_" he sounded shocked.

"I am a black eagle."

Zane stared. Kyra could feel him staring. "Eagles are more dangerous than hawks. It was believed that that line died out long ago."

"I am the first in centuries. Apparently, it has been a trait hidden in the family since then."

"That is wondrous! Why would they shun that?" he wondered.

"It threatens to take power away from the hawks. I have been locked away, out of sight from the world since I was a child." Zane could see a couple of tears roll down her cheek from under the band.

She jumped when he gently brushed the tears away. His skin was cool compared to her unusually hot skin—even for avian standards. She was quite surprised at how gentle the touch was. Her fingers dug into his arms as she grabbed them, bowing her head and using her dark hair as a curtain.

"Don't hide from me, Kyra." Zane pleaded. "You are going to be my Naga soon enough. I will not ask you for anything physical unless you wish for it, but I do ask that you do not hide yourself from me."

"Do you realize that all anyone's ever told me is to hide who I really am?" Kyra offered a small smile as she looked up at him . . . well faced him again.

"I can assure you that I will never hide you from the world" he promised.

"Thank you." She said genuinely. "I barely even know you, your people have been our enemies for centuries, and you already treat me better than my own family." Her grip finally loosened, but she still held his forearms.

He chuckled. "You are unique; you fascinate me."

"Even though you just met me and I've been your enemy?" she joked weakly.

"You show emotion, unlike the rest of your kind. That is an important quality to my people. Do you mind if I ask you something entirely personal?"

"You've already seen me cry, so why not?"

"Why do you cover your eyes? You're blind, but that's no reason to hide them. With your senses, you would be able to fool people into believing you can see."

She hesitated. "Well . . . you are going to be my mate . . . Take off the band."

Zane started a bit, confused as Kyra released his arms. "What?"

"Take off the band. There have been many lies cast around my existence. You should know the truth."

Hesitantly, Zane reached up and lifted the golden circle off of his future Naga's head. The part of her face that had been hidden was just as beautiful as the rest of her face.

"Why did you—"

Zane broke off as her eyes opened to meet his. His Cobriana fiery garnet was met with bold scarlet.

"So you are as attractive as rumor says." Kyra stated with a smirk. She let her eyes rake up and down his form leisurely, taking in the broad shoulders, pale skin, and dark hair.

"How?" Zane was dumfounded.

"I'm not blind. My darling mother came up with that lie was an excuse to hide my eyes."

Zane was having problems forming words. "What—Why—How are they red?" he managed eventually.

"No one knows. Not enough is documented from the eagles' reign to know if it was a normal trait. My mother believed that it was a curse laid upon her by your people."

"They're beautiful . . ." he breathed, his hand ghosting over her cheek.

Kyra jerked away instinctively. "Zane, remember that, no matter how unusual I am, I am still an avian. I am still unaccustomed to . . . contact."

"I apologize," he breathed. "Perhaps it would be best to take my leave for tonight."

"Probably."

Naturally, that was when Kyra's guard burst into the room. His sword was drawn within an instant of seeing the cobra. Zane tensed, and Kyra stepped in front of him. A visible chill made its way through the guard as she met his eyes.

"Is there a problem here?" he forced out.

"Zane was just discussing a few things. There is no danger here."

"Kyra what is—" Nacola cut herself off as she entered the room to see the cobra standing beh9ind her eldest daughter whose eyes were now glaring at her mother. "_What_ is going on here?"

"I will not repeat myself, dear mother, as you so obviously just want to get rid of me." Kyra snarled.

Zane stared in shock as she protected him. The rejected heir was protected her former enemy against her own mother. This whole experience was rather surreal.

"Kyra Shardae, you will not—"

"Speak to you that way?" Kyra interrupted. "Why should I respect you? You gave me away to a man you believe is an enemy, but in the last twenty minutes he's treated me beter than you have in the past eighteen _years_."

"How dare you?! And why do you have those monstrous eyes uncovered?!" Nacola screeched.

"Because my future mate deserved to know the truth about me" Kyra's voice was deceptively calm, but Zane could see the tenseness in her body. "And he would never hear the truth from the likes of _you._"

"I believe that she is perfect." Zane spoke up.

"Of course you would, you _snake_."

Everyone in the room could see him tense like the cobra that he was, ready to strike. His movements held the grace of a Serpiente warrior in battle as he stepped up beside Kyra.

"I will end this war with Kyra by my side to bind our people, but I never want to see you around her again." He hissed.

"Easily done." Nacola hissed. "But until tomorrow, she is still under my control, so get out."

Zane pulled Kyra to him in a passionate kiss of defiance before shifting forms and disappearing into the darkness.

"Now _you_ get out." Kyra ordered.

It wasn't until both the guard and Tuuli Thea left that Kyra noticed that the gold band for her eyes was missing. Zane had taken it with him.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day saw Kyra waking up to someone lightly shaking her and calling her name with a gentle voice.

"I'm awake." She grumbled, burying her head in her pillow.

"Kyra, we need to get moving, The Disa requested that I was the one to wake you." The voice was male and familiar, but Kyra couldn't quite place it in her half-asleep state.

"I'm awake," she restated as she looked up at her living alarm. "Oh, Zane." She could feel her face heat up slightly when she saw the way his garnet eyes raked down her form; the fact that he was only wearing his slacks didn't help much, either.

"Should I be flattered by that charming blush?" he asked with a small smile as he ran a finger down her cheek.

"Should I be flattered about you eyeing me like you are?" Kyra countered. "So, what's going on?"

"I was pleasantly woken this morning by the Disa telling me to get up right then to come wake you up," he said blandly. "It seems like you are now out of your mother's control, though."

"What do you mean?" she asked as she sat up, covering her nightgown-clad form with the blankets.

"She, your sister, and all of their guards left during the night."

"I should have known. By the way, I need my circlet t back."

"Why? You have nothing to be ashamed of." Zane said genuinely. "And nothing to hide."

"I know that, but I want to keep the ruse for now to test if anyone will try to exploit my weakness."

"As you wish," he sighed. "When we return today, we will be left alone to prepare for the ceremony tomorrow."

"So we will be able to get slightly acquainted then." Kyra nodded. "How are we traveling? I'm fairly sure that they will have taken my horse."

Zane shrugged. "You can ride with me on mine, if you wish."

"Sounds good to me." Kyra shrugged. "We should likely get dressed."

"True. Oh, and I want you to have this." He slid his signet ring off of his left ring finger and handed it to her. It was cool despite having been on his hand. "It will protect you from harm if we get separated somehow once in Serpiente lands. Few would harm one wearing the Cobriana signet."

"Thank you." Kyra said sweetly.

"I will bring your circlet once I am dressed." Zane said softly, turning to leave the room.

"Thank you." Kyra repeated quietly, still trying to process how it felt to be treated like a _person_ instead of a monster.

"Of course," he replied. "As I said before, no harm will come to you if I can help it."


	3. Chapter 3

When Zane was on his way back to Kyra's room, he took a moment to ponder the avian. He found it quite difficult to believe how terribly her family had treated her in the few minutes he'd witnessed. He was concerned about his soon-to-be Naga because of said treatment; it had to have left some form of psychological scarring on the eagle. He never would have guessed that his former enemy would treat the true heir like one of the Serpiente. He sighed his confusion out as he opened her door.

Zane froze when he saw her. Kyra was wearing an outfit that exactly mirrored his own—it must have been provided by the Disa. She wore black slacks with an iridescent sheen to the mile they were some form of animal skin and a black silk top. She was gazing out the window longingly at the sky.

"Did you know that they once tried to clip my wings in order to keep me from being seen in my other form?" she asked quietly, not taking her eyes off of the sky. "I managed to fight my way out but not without a price."

That was when Zane noticed the long, thin scar down the back of her neck, disappearing into her hairline. He could only imagine how it looked in her other form.

"They learned that an angry eagle is not so easily controlled." Kyra finally turned to look at Zane. "In a way, I have to thank you for getting me away from them."

"Had I known they were treating their own as such, I wouldn't care if you were supposed to be my enemy; I would have gotten you out of there sooner." He replied earnestly. "My mother and sister are waiting for us; we need to go." Zane said after a few moments' silence as he handed her the circlet.

Hiding those bright red eyes from his sight once more, Kyra donned the gold band. "Lead the way." She ordered, allowing a small smile through the reserve she hid behind once more as she held her arm out to him.

"But you navigated here last night with no trouble," he pointed out, putting her hand around his arm on his bicep.

"Ah, but no one knows that."

"You love the false weakness angle, don't you?" Zane asked. He began leading them to the entrance of the Mistari palace.

"The element of surprise is a good tactic for someone like me." She shrugged.

"How very Serpiente of you," he teased.

"Look! I'm already blending in."

"You are a very unusual avian." Zane chuckled. "My horse is right in front of us."

"I know; I can hear it. Help me up."

A few minutes later, the pair were seated semi-comfortably in the saddle of the rather tall horse. Kyra was in front while Zane was behind with the reigns in his hands. His arms were lightly wrapped around the eagle.

"It is an honor to have such a fine young woman as part of our family." Zane's mother said, sounding rather genuine to Kyra's ears.

"Thank you. Your son has already made me feel more welcome than Nacola ever did." Kyra replied. Her head was facing slightly down so the python Naga couldn't read her expression. "My people have been so wrong for all these years."

"About what?" Irene asked curiously.

"The Serpiente are very kind, generous people if its leaders are anything to go by.

"I am very flattered." Charis said with a smile. "I hope that we can base the same conclusion off of you."

"You can't." Kyra said bluntly. "My people would never give you the chance. I have a different perspective than most avians given my . . . unique circumstances."

"What do you mean?" Irene inquired.

"That can be discussed at length once we're back home." Zane spoke up as Kyra lifted her head as if to watch the path ahead of them.

"I think you're right, Zane." Charis agreed. "Kyra, dear, are you feeling well?"

Kyra shook her head "no." "I did not sleep well last night; I rarely do."

"Hopefully that will change how." Irene said optimistically.

"Why don't you try to get some rest now? I doubt my son will let you fall."

"He'd _better_ not." Irene threatened, sending a glare at the Cobriana prince with red eyes a few shades darker than his.

Zane rolled his eyes. "I won't let anything happen to you, Kyra. Get some rest."

"I don't—"

"Relax, little avian." Irene teased. "We won't tell anyone that you let down your precious reserve."

"But—"

"Kyra, you and I are going to be mated tomorrow; I don't believe it's a great crime tfor you to get some rest while riding a horse with me."

The eagle sighed. "You're right."

She proceeded to remover her circlet, put it on the saddle horn, and shift into a more comfortable position. Kyra was now leaning back into Zane's chest with her head tucked into the hollow where his neck and shoulder met. Before long, she sank into a dreamless sleep.

"She fits with this family better than I expected." Charis said quietly, gazing at her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.

"For a bird." Adelina scoffed rudely.

Zane ignored her to respond to his mother. "From what I've observed, she is very unlike the rest of her people."

"She has obviously had a harder life than we thought the Shardae line were capable of." Irene agreed.

"There is much we did not know about their elder princess." Zane agreed, looking down at her.

Once again, he was struck silent by her peaceful beauty. When Kyra was asleep, the tightness around her eyes where she subconsciously tried to see—even when the circlet was on—relaxed.

"You are already falling in love with her, aren't you?" Adelina asked, voice quiet with the sorrow of losing her lover.

"I . . . don't know," he replied honestly, still gazing at her.

"Well, it's a good thing if you are." Irene said seriously. "I don't want my brother to be alone and loveless, especially considering the rumors of how avian mates love."

"That is not a rumor based on what Eleanor tells me." Zane said.

Avians and their Alistairs slept separately from each other except to procreate. Serpiente—especially the Cobriana—almost always slept with another, be it as a lover or just for the company of another. They thrived on the company of others.

"But, in response to that sentiment, I will do whatever it takes to uphold this peace." Zane admitted.

"You don't have to change what you are because of me." Kyra's sleepy voice drifted up to him. "I know all too well how that is. I do not mind sharing a bed with you; it is your nature to have another with you."

He was honestly shocked. "Thank you."

This eagle seemed to never stop surprising him.

She opened her eyes just enough for him to see the smile that resided there. The other two Cobriana could not see her eyes from their current position. He returned her expression with a smirk.

"You truly astound me."

"It's what I do." Kyra replied before closing her eyes again.

"Go back to sleep, Kyra," he said gently.

"Sweet dreams, dear." Charis smiled at the exchange.

She was glad at the fast-blooming relationship between the two heirs. Zane had never taken to a woman this quickly before—Adelina included. Kyra was truly a unique individual. It would prove interesting to have her around the palace. Charis was amazed at how well Kyra handled herself despite her blindness.

"We are lucky to have such an understanding little hawk in her midst." Irene said, gazing at Kyra fondly.

Zane didn't think it was his place to correct her on the species.


	4. Chapter 4

Later, when the group made it back to the Serpiente palace, Zane gently shook Kyra awake. He assumed that she would have mumbled something and tried to go back to sleep if she'd ben any race besides avian.

"We're at the palace." He said quietly.

"Oh." She replied, sitting up. Zane was suddenly stricken with a sense of loss as her worm heat moved away.

Pushing the feeling aside, he climbed down gracefully off of the horse. "Do you want me to help you?"

She nodded, letting the cobra pick her up off the horse and keep her in his arms. That alone let him know exactly how out of it she was. He chuckled a bit as he started towards his private chambers in the inner palace, intending to take her to a branch room that would be hers and hers alone.

"Zane," Kyra's voice drifted up to him, "can I stay with you tonight? New places make me nervous."

He was in shock; he knew precisely how much it meant for an avian to request something like that. "Of course," he replied without hesitation. Zane would never turn down such an innocent request. Besides, it meant that he would not have to sleep alone.

Kyra immediately burrowed into the luxurious bed, sighing her content without even bothering to change clothes. Chuckling to himself, Zane removed his dress shirt, shoes, and socks before slithering into the bed as well. Zane made sure to leave plenty of space between them, but Kyra scooted closer almost instantly. Her natural warmth seemed to soak into him, making the cobra feel sleepy. Right before he nodded off, the Arami remembered to take Kyra's circlet off his belt loop where he'd put it before picking her up, but it didn't quite make it to the floor, instead only reaching the pillow beside her before he nodded off.


	5. Chapter 5

Kyra groaned as she awoke to something stabbing her in the throat. Feeling around, she found that it was her circlet. It clattered to the floor when she threw it away violently.

That was when she noticed the arms around her waist and under her head. Not to mention the warm air she could feel on the back of her neck or the strong, lazy heartbeat against her back. She knew that, because of her avian reserve, she _should_ want to get away from her former enemy, but having Zane hold her like this was too comfortable.

Resolving to pay no mind to her _own_ culture, Kyra rolled over so that she was facing the cobra price. She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled her head into the hollow at the base of his throat. Had she been able to see his face, she would have seen the ruby eye crack open and the soft smile on his face as Zane rested his chin on top of her head.

Both enjoyed the other's company for a few minutes before Zane spoke up. "We should probably get up soon."

Kyra's only response was a grunt.

"I'm glad that you're comfortable with this." The feared cobra hesitated after that sentence before adding, "With me."

Shad shrugged. "I was already an outcast from avian culture anyway. Besides, you're a lot different than the rumor at the Keep describes."

"How so?"

"You were described as evil, untrustworthy, and—well—hideous to be quite honest." She replied, looking up at him. "To hell with perfectly emotionless avian standards. You're hot."

Zane smirked. "Oh? Why thank you." Kyra didn't even blush like he expected. "You aren't exactly how rumor depicted you, either."

"Do tell." The eagle prompted.

"Well, you were _blind_, for one." They shared a chuckle at that. "And you were cold, heartless, and pampered. I'm not going to lie, though; the rumors always said that you were beautiful, even by our standards."

Kyra raised her eyebrows. "'Even by your standards'?"

"_Especially_ by our standards." He amended with a smile. Kyra matched his smile with a cheesy grin. "Can I ask you something?" he asked seriously. She nodded. "May I kiss you?"

There was a pause where the couple just stared into each other's eyes. Scarlet meeting garnet.

"Yes." Kyra replied, leaning closer to him—even though they were stilled cuddled up together.

Of course, that was when there was an impatient knock at the door.

"Sir," Adelina's voice drifted through the door, "your mother asked me to tell the two of you to start preparing for the ceremony." The viper's voice was cold even when muffled by the sturdy door. "You only have three hours."

Kyra groaned. "You know, one advantage to being the outcast was that no one cared where I was and when. I never _had_ to be anywhere . . . except for the meeting with the Disa."

Zane chuckled. "Then that's one more thing that you're going to have to get used to."

"Well, I've already discovered one thing I like about being here," she hinted.

"And what might that be?"

"I don't have nightmares when I'm with you. I've been plagued with them every night since I was a child, but last night . . . nothing."

The cobra took one look at the relieved content expression on her face and couldn't resist; he pulled her forward into a kiss with a hand on the back of her neck. Kyra allowed it without hesitation.

While their tongues danced together, Zane found his hands carding through her hair. He froze when his fingers grazed the feathers hidden at the nape of her neck.

"Sorry," he whispered, breaking the kiss. "It's just—"

"It's weird compared to what you're used to." Kyra nodded, seemingly unfazed by his reaction.

"Still," Zane argued, meeting her gaze, "I haven't judged you for any of your secrets yet, but I freeze at a trait that all avians have."

Kyra laughed, a clear, honest sound. "That's one of the main reasons that it doesn't bother me. You would have done that no matter what avian it was kissing you. Relax, Zane. One small reaction isn't going to make me hate you or anything."

The cobra stared, once more stunned into silence by the amazing creature that he was sharing a bed with. Kyra snapped him out of it a few moments later by drumming her fingers on his sternum.

"Come on, snake boy. We have to get up." She teased. "And don't hate me, but I'm going to fall back to my people's customs while in the public eye for a bit. Just until we know _exactly_ how your people are going to react to me. I'll drop it when I drop the blind thing."

Zane sighed in defeat. He didn't particularly like the idea of the eagle he was quickly falling for—not that he would admit it aloud yet—hiding herself away from him.

"Would it be too forward of me to ask that you keep being yourself when it's just us?" he asked quietly.

Kyra paused. "Of course not. But I will remind you once more that there is only so much I'm willing to show so soon. We've just about reached my limit as it is."

"Dually noted," he smiled. "The only thing is, during the ceremony, we will be expected to show a degree of . . . intimacy before our people."

Kyra immediately caught the use of the word "our" A small wave of happiness washed over her at that usually insignificant word. Pushing the feeling aside for now, Kyra questioned him, "What do you mean . . . 'intimacy'?" She was fine with t in private for now, but in fronto of the entire Serpiente court . . . ?

"Don't worry." Zane assured her. "A small kiss and some hand-holding should suffice. I will keep te crowd away from you; normally they would want to touch and hug their new Naga. I'm sure they will understand that these are unusual circumstances.

Another hesitation. "Okay. Whatever it takes to end this blasted war."

"You are incredible." He breathed, kissing her chastely one last time before climbing out of the luxurious bed.


End file.
